Darren, Northamptonshire

“Having a company like IKEA partnering with Solarcentury seemed like a good team to put my trust in.”
Darren Widdowson

The starting point

Darren Widdowson is a freelance business systems consultant who lives in Northamptonshire. The proud owner of an electric car, he was searching for an energy solution that would save him money as well as power his car and home economically.

When he discovered that IKEA is now offering a storage solution with their home solar systems his mind was made up. He said, “Having a company like IKEA partnering with Solarcentury seemed like a good team to put my trust in”.

The background

Darren opted for a 18 panel, black solar system and also selected IKEA’s new storage offer with a LG Chem 6.5 kWh battery, which fits neatly in his kitchen’s concealed alcove.

He says the black panels are not at all intrusive. In fact, one neighbour said he’d driven past the house for a week after the installation and had not noticed the system had already been installed!

The system and battery were both installed in a single day and Darren said the entire process went smoothly with no disruptions.

The result

Darren is delighted with his new system, particularly his new battery. This means that, for all intents and purposes, he is now ‘offgrid’ – even overnight- during the spring and summer months.

Darren says he is particularly impressed with the smart meter he got to track his IKEA system’s output. Darren can use the web portal to see what his system is producing and whether it’s being used in house or going to the battery. Because of this, Darren is now thinking of adding another battery next year so he can store and use even more of his own electricity.

Darren’s first bill after having his IKEA system installed was so low his energy provider didn’t believe the readings and sent out someone to check he had got them right.

His electric car now charges entirely from solar and his time at home in the office uses no electricity from the grid either.

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